Ranking MLB Free Agent, Trade Options at SP After Corbin Burnes to Diamondbacks

The Arizona Diamondbacks made one of the biggest moves of the MLB offseason early Saturday morning when they inked Corbin Burnes to a six-year, $210 million contract, emerging seemingly out of nowhere to reel in one of the biggest fish of the offseason.

With Blake Snell, Max Fried, Sean Manaea, Nathan Eovaldi and Yusei Kikuchi also already signed in free agency, and both Garrett Crochet and Jesús Luzardo on the move via trade, the starting pitching market has dwindled considerably since the start of the offseason.

However, there are still some impact arms looking for a new home, led by Japanese League star Roki Sasaki and World Series champion Jack Flaherty.

Ahead is an updated look at the top remaining free agency and trade targets on the starting pitching market in the wake of the Burnes signing.

Free Agents

RHP Kyle Gibson
RHP Lance Lynn
LHP Martín Pérez
RHP Cal Quantrill
LHP José Quintana
RHP Colin Rea
RHP Spencer Turnbull
RHP Trevor Williams
LHP Ryan Yarbrough

Trade Candidates

LHP Steven Matz, STL
LHP Jordan Montgomery, ARI

10. RHP Michael Lorenzen, Free Agent (Age: 32)

Stats: 26 G, 24 GS, 7-6, 3.31 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 60 BB, 97 K, 130.1 IP, 2.6 WAR

After an All-Star selection in 2023, Lorenzen was one of the last notable free agents to sign last winter, agreeing to a one-year, $4.5 million deal with the Rangers on March 22. He doesn't miss many bats, striking out just 18.1 percent of the hitters he faced this past season, but he is a solid back-of-the-rotation option capable of pitching above that level at times.

9. RHP Justin Verlander, Free Agent (Age: 41)

Stats: 17 GS, 5-6, 5.48 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 27 BB, 74 K, 90.1 IP, -0.3 WAR

Verlander had a 4.16 ERA over 67 innings through his first 12 starts in 2024 before a brutal month of September, so his overall performance was not as bad as his final numbers might suggest. He no longer possesses elite velocity, but he is a future Hall of Famer who knows how to pitch, and he is still capable of being an effective back-of-the-rotation option.

8. RHP Max Scherzer, Free Agent (Age: 40)

Stats: 9 GS, 2-4, 3.95 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 10 BB, 40 K, 43.1 IP, 0.4 WAR

A shoulder issue limited Scherzer to just nine starts last season, so his health is a question mark, but he was still an effective option when he did take the mound. He profiles more as a four- or five-inning guy at this point rather than a workhorse, but in the right situation, he can still be an asset to a staff.

7. LHP Andrew Heaney, Free Agent (Age: 33)

Stats: 32 G, 31 GS, 5-14, 4.28 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 41 BB, 159 K, 160.0 IP, 0.8 WAR

Heaney led a banged-up Rangers staff with 31 starts and eclipsed 150 innings pitched for the second time in his career in 2024, and he more than earned his two-year, $25 million deal the past two seasons. With 1,070 strikeouts in 1,014.1 career innings, he has always missed plenty of bats, and he could provide solid value on a similar deal.

6. RHP Erick Fedde, Trade Candidate (Age: 31)

Stats: 31 GS, 9-9, 3.30 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 52 BB, 154 K, 177.1 IP, 5.6 WAR

Fedde won KBO MVP honors in 2023 when he finished 20-6 with a 2.00 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 209 strikeouts in 180.1 innings, and he returned stateside a different pitcher last year after inking a two-year, $15 million deal with the White Sox. He was traded to the Cardinals at the 2024 deadline, and now that they are headed for a youth movement, he is squarely on the trade block and carries wide appeal thanks to a team-friendly $7.5 million salary.

Age: 31

Stats: 27 G, 26 GS, 6-12, 4.14 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 36 BB, 172 K, 145.2 IP, 1.8 WAR

Nick Pivetta was one of the few legitimate candidates to potentially accept a qualifying offer this winter, but he ultimately turned down the one-year, $21.05 million contract in favor of testing the free agency waters.

The right-hander has quietly posted four straight seasons with at least 170 strikeouts, and he also posted a career-low 2.2 walks per nine innings during the 2024 season, down significantly from 3.5 BB/9 over the first seven years of his career.

The draft pick compensation tied to signing him is a factor, but he can slot in as a solid No. 3 starter on a contending team thanks to his swing-and-miss stuff.

Age: 32

Stats: 30 GS, 11-12, 3.64 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 47 BB, 175 K, 175.1 IP, 1.8 WAR

The emergence of up-and-coming arms Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryce Miller and Bryan Woo has put the Seattle Mariners in an enviable position where they can potentially trade from an area of strength by shopping Luis Castillo.

The three-time All-Star had another solid overall season in 2024, and while his stuff took a slight step backward and his strikeout rate dropped from 27.3 to 24.3 percent, he was still a solid No. 2/3 starter.

He will make $24.15 million annually each of the next three seasons, and he also has a $25 million vesting option for 2028 based on health and innings pitched.

Age: 29

Stats: 28 GS, 13-7, 3.17 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 38 BB, 194 K, 162.0 IP, 3.1 WAR

After years of battling injuries and then command issues in 2023, Jack Flaherty signed a one-year, $14 million deal with the Tigers last winter hoping to rebuild his stock, and he ended up being one of the best value signings of the offseason.

He ended up serving as the co-ace of the staff for the Dodgers during their run to the World Series after joining them at the trade deadline. He struggled to a 7.36 ERA in 22 innings of work during the playoffs, though he did turn in a terrific start in Game 1 of the NLCS (7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER).

His age is a major chip in his favor in a market littered with pitchers on the other side of 30 years old, and he has strikeout stuff when everything is clicking, but his inconsistent track record and shaky October might be the reason he is still looking for his next contract.

Age: 29

Stats: 33 GS, 14-11, 3.47 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 65 BB, 224 K, 189.1 IP, 4.2 WAR

Could the San Diego Padres be major players on the trade market once again this offseason?

Last winter, they traded away Juan Soto ahead of his final season of arbitration control, only to turn around and acquire Dylan Cease from the Chicago White Sox.

Now they are reportedly shopping Cease.

"There is no indication any deal is imminent, but this is more than just fielding phone calls. League sources characterized the talks regarding Cease as being anywhere from 'trying to unload Cease' to the Padres being 'open to' trading the right-hander," wrote Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune shortly after the winter meetings.

Cease is poised to be one of the most sought-after pitchers on the free-agent market next winter, and if the Padres don't plan to sign him long-term, then now is the time to sell high.

Trading him could also be part of a domino effect set off by them signing the No. 1 player on this list...

Age: 23

Stats: 18 GS, 10-5, 2.35 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 32 BB, 129 K, 111.0 IP

It's not every day that a 23-year-old who is capable of stepping right into a big league rotation and potentially pitching at an ace-caliber level hits the open market.

Roki Sasaki has officially been posted by the Chiba Lotte Marines, and teams now have until Jan. 23 to negotiate with the Japanese League star, though spending will be limited by the international bonus pool limitations.

The assumption is that he will wait to sign until after the new international signing period begins on Jan. 15, when all 30 teams will have a full bonus pool at their disposal, though money will likely not be the determining factor in where he lands.

The Dodgers and Padres are the heavy favorites to sign him, but there is still time for a mystery team to make its move.

Armed with a 70-grade fastball that regularly touches triple-digits, a lethal splitter and a plus slider, he checks all the boxes to be a star on the mound for the next decade.